The Crusader Files

By Sandeep Jain

This is an enthralling tale of pure fiction, showcasing the protagonists heroic struggle against a corrupt system. Assisted by his angelic guide, his former school-time sweetheart who now excels in management, he embarks on a journey to conquer the demons of his past and find redemption, despite facing overwhelming odds. Adding to the complexity of the plot is his the imperfect yet beautiful love interest, making the story a compelling blend of personal and professional battles against immorality and evil.Throughout his crusade, the protagonist adopts unconventional methods that tread the fine line between ethics and unscrupulous means, all in the pursuit of achieving just ends. This narrative offers a captivating exploration of unorthodox strategic management mantras, negotiation skills,
and leadership traits, which will undoubtedly captivate management thinkers, practitioners, students, working managers, and those in leadership positions. Prepare to be enthralled by this tale of moral conflict and personal growth

• Language: English
• Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers
• Release date: Oct 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9789357410861

Book preview

Prologue

September 14, 2008, Some location 200 km away from Delhi….

An old white Maruti Esteem was stranded on the edge of a deserted road connecting village Behrampur to the Alwar-Gurgaon Highway near Alwar town. Some villagers and passersby noticed it but chose to ignore it till it came to the notice of Head Constable Ramsaran. Ramsaran along with two constables reached early in the morning to check the abandoned car. Its number plate had been removed. As soon as they forced open the door of the car, they had to beat a hasty retreat because of the foul smell. It didn’t take much time for the experienced Ramsaran to make out that something was amiss. Since there was nothing lying on the seat of the car except an office bag, Ramsaran instructed one of his constables to open its boot.

‘Sir, the keys are not in the car, we shall have to force it open,’ one of the constables said after looking for the keys inside the car.

All three of them covered their faces with handkerchiefs in order to avoid the strong stench emanating from the car. Now they could make out that the foul smell was coming from its trunk. By then, a few passersby had also stopped out of sheer curiosity. Ramsaran asked one of the known faces to help them in opening the boot of the car. One villager came forward with a machete and an iron rod.

‘Hawaldar saab, let me give a blow or two to this dicky to open it up,’ suggested the curious villager and got an immediate nod from the Head Constable.

The villager gave a couple of mighty blows and force-opened the dicky with the help of other curious onlookers. As soon as the trunk opened, Ramsaran instructed everybody to move aside. He noticed a gunny bag lying in the trunk tightly knotted at the top with a nylon rope. The bag was slightly soaked in blood which had almost dried out. He could make out that the bag contained a dead body.

‘This seems to be a case of murder. We shall have to do the panchnama, go to the chowky and inform thanedar saab,’ he told one of the constables.

He was visibly disturbed as the area under the jurisdiction of his chowky had not witnessed many crimes in the recent past and now suddenly a case of suspected murder had happened.

‘Jee Janab,’ said the constable and immediately left for the chowky. He asked the crowd to disperse to avoid any disturbance to the scene of crime, except the couple of villagers who had helped in opening the boot, to take down their statements.

An hour later, the scene of the crime was surrounded by a police team headed by a Sub Inspector. A photographer accompanying them was taking snaps from all possible angles. The office bag lying on the car seat was opened up. It had a few blank papers. The gunny bag was opened by the police. It contained a dead body of a man wrapped in a cream-coloured cloth soaked in blood, seemingly young with his face smashed badly, perhaps to conceal his identity. He was wearing a full-sleeved white shirt with lots of blood on it and steel-grey trousers. He had been shot in the head with a bullet piercing his temple and going out from the back of his head. Apparently, he had been shot from a point blank range with a revolver. Except for one bullet hole, there were no other injury marks. There was nothing in the car which could have helped with the identification. There were dried-out imprints of the tyres on the muddy edges of the asphalt road.

‘When did it last rain?’ the Inspector asked Ramsaran.

‘Sir, a couple of days back,’ he replied.

‘Looking at the engraved tyre marks on the mud, it seems, the car has been stranded here for the last 2 days. Have you made enquiries with the villagers about how long this car has been here?’

‘Yes sir, some of them have seen the car standing here unattended for the last 2 days.’

‘You people are good for nothing. It seems you and your staff don’t patrol the area, otherwise it would have come to your notice earlier. I am surprised nobody even informed you about it.’ The SI was visibly annoyed.

‘Sorry, sir. It just went unnoticed,’ Ramsaran admitted the mistake instead of giving any justification to avoid getting further scolded.

‘Prime-facie, it looks like this man has been murdered at some other place. He was shot at a point-blank range and then his face smashed to protect his identity. His body has been dumped here by the killers,’ The Inspector concluded.

‘Send a wireless message to all the police stations of the district. Also find out about missing persons complaints, if any. Complete the panchnama. Don’t leave any detail unnoticed or unrecorded,’ the Inspector instructed one of his junior officers and left in the police jeep with a couple of policemen.

1. The NPC Office

Subir Singh left early to catch the morning flight to Delhi. RK had advised him to directly visit Delhi, join and then leave for Chandigarh. Things were moving at a very fast pace, which had left Subir quite unsettled. He reached the airport about 2 hours early and after collecting his boarding pass went to the waiting lounge of Jet Airways. He served himself a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

One week ago, New Delhi

Neeraj Kumar was pacing up and down anxiously in his office situated in Connaught Place in one of the high-rise buildings kissing the skyline of New Delhi. He was the Chief Regional Manager of National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NPC), for the Delhi Territory. The government-owned corporation was engaged in the exploration, refining and marketing of petroleum products with its presence not only within the country but beyond the national boundaries in other Asian countries too. It was one of the largest Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the country, administratively under the reins of the Ministry of Petroleum & Chemicals (MOPC), Government of India.

It owned large oil fields for exploration, a number of refineries across the geographical spread of the country and a vast network of pipelines for the transportation of crude and other finished products. NPC was known to virtually move the wheels of the nation being almost the sole supplier to Defence, Railways and other important government and private entities. It had a large number of petrol pumps, kerosene and LPG agencies in every nook and corner of the country reaching essential fuel commodities to the masses. One of its vertical arms, the Sales Department, had 20 Regional Offices situated across the country controlling petrol pumps and kerosene agencies selling petrol, diesel and kerosene to the public at large. There were three other nationalised oil companies operating in the market. Consequent to the recent decision of the Government of India to open up this sector to private players, two private oil companies had also jumped into the fray making the competition further intense but to the ultimate benefit of the end consumer. All the 20 Regional Offices were under tremendous pressure to perform and open new sales outlets in the shortest possible time leading to an increase in the market share of the company.

The Regional Offices were headed by a Regional Manager chosen after carefully considering various parameters with the direct approval of the CEO on the recommendations of the COO, Sales. Generally, young fast-track officers with proven track records and leadership abilities were earmarked for such coveted positions. These RMs would lead to a large team of staff managers and field officers.

Delhi was the largest regional office of the country with its jurisdiction of the entire states of Delhi and Haryana. Neeraj was heading a large team of 30 officers including 8 and 12 Sales Officers in the states of Delhi and Haryana respectively. Neeraj was a fair-complexioned man in his early forties with a thick moustache and long hair. Standing on the other side of his huge but stylish office table, he pressed the speaker button on his intercom to speak to his personal assistant.

‘Kamini, why are you not connecting me to Manoj?’

‘Sir, his landline says no reply and his mobile is unreachable. What do I do?’ a female voice replied.

‘Try again and keep on trying till you get him. Call Udai to my cabin.’

‘Good morning, sir. You called me?‘ Udai said, entering his room. He was one of Neeraj’s staff managers.

‘Yes, Udai. When did you last talk to Manoj?’ Neeraj enquired with a worried face.

‘Sir, it has been about 3-4 days. He told me that he was going out in the field towards the Ferozepur Zhirka area for petrol pump inspections. The mobile network in the interiors of his field area is not very good therefore probably his mobile is unreachable. Any urgent issue, sir?’

‘Yeah, there was a call from his father in the morning. He said that 2 days back, he had called Manoj but then Manoj suddenly disconnected saying he would call again. He has not called since then, therefore his father is worried. We should contact him. Check with our outlet network in that area. He must be somewhere in the interiors. I am also getting slightly worried.’ Neeraj Kumar looked visibly upset.

Manoj was the Sales Officer of NPC posted at Gurgaon in Haryana, reporting to Neeraj. His field area constituted the entire district of Gurgaon. He was a young officer who had recently joined NPC after graduating from IIT Kharagpur. After 4 months of orientation training, he was assigned the very challenging posting of Gurgaon. His main job was the supervision of petrol and diesel sales from petrol pumps and the distribution of kerosene from company-appointed agents. His work also included the management of the functioning of petrol pumps. It was an assignment of great responsibility requiring utmost honesty and clarity of purpose as it involved a complex dual role of marketing and inspections against suspected malpractices and adulteration at the petrol pumps.

Udai left the room and started calling up dealers in the interiors of the Gurgaon district. One of the dealers confirmed to him that Manoj had visited his outlet two days ago but the dealer had no idea about his present whereabouts. He also informed that apart from the inspection of outlets Manoj was also checking on the feasibility of new rural markets, therefore the possibility of his visiting one of the interior rural markets with a weak mobile network couldn’t be ruled out. Unable to trace Manoj after a mammoth effort, Udai again went to Neeraj Kumar’s room.

‘Sir, there is no trace of Manoj. We had better send someone there to find out. He was last seen on 12th September when he visited both the pumps at Nuh in the Gurgaon district and there was no contact with him thereafter. Something seems to be wrong somewhere. Dealer network in that area is also quite notorious,’ Udai informed Neeraj Kumar.

‘Notorious? What do you mean? First of all, let us concentrate on locating Manoj before making such off-the-cuff remarks about the dealer network,’ Neeraj cut him short.

Udai immediately repented having made such an innocuous remark without much provocation despite knowing the soft spot his boss had for the dealers in that area. It was decided to send Ravi, the Sales Officer of the adjoining district of Rewari, to find out the whereabouts of Manoj. Simultaneously, the information was also passed on to the headquarters of the NPC in Mumbai, fearing the worst. A day later when Ravi also could not find out any information about Manoj, it was decided to file a police complaint.

September 16, 2008, Police HQs, Gurgaon

Gurgaon, a southern district of Haryana bordering Delhi and Rajasthan, is a politically sensitive district due to its proximity to the capital. The city of Gurgaon was in a phase of rapid urban development, quickly acquiring the character of a satellite city of Delhi. The outer part of Gurgaon, especially towards Rajasthan, was a rocky region with stone quarries where there was very little agriculture. It was a purely rural area ruled by the mining mafia, with the district administration having little control over law and order. Due to the high sales tax differential between the states of Haryana and Rajasthan, the area was also notorious for smuggling of diesel and petrol from Haryana to Rajasthan. Adulteration of diesel and petrol with kerosene and solvent oil was also rampant. Oil companies, the food & supplies department of the state Government and the police were unable to curb these nefarious malpractices since the all-powerful mining mafia had joined hands with oil adulterers. It was suspected that the police in that region were also hand in glove with this mafia. It was rumoured that a few prominent politicians belonging to both rulings, as well as opposition parties, were providing political shelter to these people as well. Mafia dons had the last writ and anybody resisting their criminal designs was silenced. Almost a year ago, an activist-cum-part-time-journalist who had dared to expose the mafia was killed. The file was closed after the police found it to be a case of a blind murder.

The SSP of Gurgaon had called a meeting of his senior officers to discuss the case of the missing NPC officer in his district. He had got a call from his DGP to personally look into this case, as it was being followed up at the highest level in the central Government. The Chairman of NPC had called up the Secretary of Petroleum & Chemicals and that was how down the line, instructions had descended in no time, making it a very sensitive case.

It was a large conference hall with a seating capacity of around 35-40 people. The SSP was known for his effective policing. The law-and order-situation was not very bad for the public though the rural area was notorious for its rampant rate of crime. He was considering this incident as a blot on the image of the district. Many prominent politicians of the state belonged to this district, therefore it required a great deal of patience and tolerance to deal with the people considered to be close to them. He was an expert in handling such issues and was also a favourite of the Chief Minister; that was why he had landed up in the plum posting of SSP, Gurgaon. He had risen from the ranks after joining the Haryana Police as an Inspector and was in his early fifties. He was a stockily built, wheatish-complexion person with average height and a small moustache. He was known for a ‘no nonsense’ approach in sensitive matters.

The SSP arrived 5 minutes after all the officers had taken their seats. Everybody stood up on his arrival as a mark of respect.

‘Here’s what’s going on officers,’ he began, taking the seat at the head of the circle. ‘I hope Gill has briefed you about the agenda of this hurriedly called meeting.’

‘Yes Sir,’ almost everybody responded in chorus.

HPS Gill was a young IPS officer who had recently joined the Gurgaon district as Additional SP (HQ). He was a very energetic and dynamic officer who was coming down heavily on anti-social elements in the district. He was a 6-foot-tall Jat Sikh with an athletic build, belonging to a very good family. He was the 3rd generation police officer in the family. His father retired as DGP of Punjab a couple of years ago. Due to his impassioned and honest approach towards his job, the SSP greatly relied on him, especially in sensitive matters.

‘Well, the DGP called me on this matter. He was quite worried as the Central Home Ministry is directly pursuing the case. Moreover, it is a matter of utmost concern that an officer of a Central Government Undertaking just goes missing without any trace. He was travelling in his car in our district on 12th September and then suddenly, he went missing along with his car. You must tighten your belts and launch a thorough search operation. He had gone for inspections of NPC petrol pumps, therefore contacted all NPC dealers of the district to find out when he was last seen. I want hourly reports on the status. ASP Gill will coordinate with you all as the nodal officer on this case. Check hospitals also. We must find him,’ he finished off in one breath.

‘Sir we have already started the search operation. In fact, one of the dealers at Nuh, Aslam, has confirmed that this officer Manoj visited him in his white Esteem on 12th September. He inspected his petrol pump and left at around 5 p.m. for Ferozepur Zhirka which is around 40 km from Nuh. We have checked with the NPC dealers of Zhirka but as per them, he didn’t visit any of them. His whereabouts after this visit to Nuh are not known to anybody. The other NPC dealer at Nuh, Suraj, has informed us that Manoj inspected his petrol pump also before visiting Aslam’s pump. So where did he go from Nuh is a big question mark as on time,’ Gill briefed the assembly.

"We have found out that he was in Gurgaon a day before, which is his headquarter town. His field area constitutes the whole district of Gurgaon. He started off in the morning from Gurgaon and visited many petrol pumps before reaching Nuh, which is about 50 km from Gurgaon. From Nuh, he supposedly went to Zhirka but the NPC dealers there have informed that he didn’t visit them,’ the DSP, Nuh, said.

‘Okay, it seems he vanished somewhere between Nuh and Zhirka. We have to build it up from this lead, the only one we have at this juncture,’ the SSP said matter of factly. He turned to Gill who was sitting on his right side. ‘Gill, what do the NPC officers at Delhi have to say about this case? Have you checked with them?’

‘Yes, sir, I have inquired from one Neeraj Kumar who is their Regional Manager. He says Manoj was a newly inducted officer and was performing his job very well. He could not throw any light on any possible enemies he might have developed while performing his duties. Sir, his job included checking petrol pumps and in the process he might have offended some or one of them. Dealers in the area, especially around Nuh and Zhirka, are the prime suspects,’ Gill replied.

‘I think we should not jump the gun in forming our theories before we get more leads in this case. Well, as per the last information available, he had gone towards Zhirka which borders Rajasthan. Check with authorities at Alwar, the bordering district of Rajasthan. Have you checked his mobile records?’ the SSP enquired.

"We have also checked his mobile records. His mobile has been unreachable since then. He made his last call at about 1030 hrs on 12th September to his father from the Nuh outlet but he disconnected soon since the signal was not very clear. Mobile networks in the interiors of Nuh and Zhirka are very weak although his last location has been traced to Zhirka. Nevertheless, we have formed teams who will immediately visit all the 20 petrol pumps of NPC and other oil companies in that part of the district,’ Gill replied.

‘You may go back to your respective stations but I want results before the sun sets today,’ the SSP concluded, briskly leaving the Conference Hall.

4 hours later…

Gill was briskly pacing towards the SSP’s office. He had received some important pieces of information related to the case of the missing NPC officer. The SSP was sitting in a very large cabin situated in the middle of a huge complex that housed the SSP office in the heart of the city. It was an old building that must have been built during the British Raj. The rooms had very high ceilings with old model fans hanging from large rods fixed. This room was recently painted though at some places, plaster had ripped off. Even on one side wall, a hearth was visible giving it a look of the pre-independence era. The SSP was seated on a revolving chair facing a table covered with a green cloth under a thick sheet of glass. A computer monitor, pen stand and paperweight were neatly placed on the table. There were five rows of vacant caned chairs in front of the table for visitors. A 32-inch TV screen was fixed on one side of the wall, along with maps of the district Gurgaon and the state of Haryana. The wall behind him had a large board giving names of his predecessors and a portrait of Mahatma Gandhi along with framed photographs of the Prime Minister and Chief Minister. One side of the table was fully covered with the files wrapped in a 3-inch-wide red tape. He was going through the files while his PA sitting on a chair on the side of the table was taking down notes being dictated to him. As soon as Gill entered his room, he arched his eyebrows to glance at the entrant.

‘Yes, Gill, any news on the case?’ he enquired.

‘Yeah sir, I have just received information from Alwar police in Rajasthan that they have found a dead body of a young man in the boot of a white Esteem without any number plate. A car was found abandoned in an interior village road yesterday. The face of the body has been badly smashed, possibly to conceal his identity. Nothing has been found in the car which could lead to identification of the body. However, the description of the body and car matches that of the missing NPC officer. Moreover, nobody has claimed the body so far and it is lying in the mortuary of the Government Hospital, Alwar. It seems somebody dumped the body there after killing the person somewhere else,’ Gill briefed the SSP.

‘Damn it! Oh, it is sad news! Could they tell something about the cause of death?’ the SSP muttered.

‘Yes, the post-mortem report suggests that there is only one bullet injury in the middle of the temple. The bullet has pierced the forehead and has gone out from the rear of the head, leaving a big, gaping hole. It also says that the bullet has been fired at point-blank range from a .22 revolver resulting in an instant death.’

‘Immediately send one team to bring back the body and inform the NPC also. Continue with your inquest, we have to find out the killers as soon as possible. I will brief the DGP as his office is doing regular follow-up,’ the SSP said.

‘Yes, sir,’ Gill replied and left the office of SSP.

The mood was sombre at the NPC regional office. Nobody had expected this sad news. The body was brought to Gurgaon and kept in the mortuary of the General Hospital. Neeraj, Udai and Ravi had identified the body to be that of Manoj. Some plain letterheads of NPC and some official documents were also found under one of the seat covers, confirming the worst. The chassis number of the car also matched with that given in the RC, a copy of which was available in the NPC office.

All the employees had assembled in the Conference Hall upon hearing this unfortunate news. Neeraj Kumar briefed the staff and officers about this unfortunate incident. All of them kept silent for two minutes to mourn the unbearable loss.

‘Has the police confirmed that the body found is that of Manoj?’ Kamini asked Neeraj.

‘Police identified him from the make and model of the car, as nothing could be identified from the body. We had sent them copies of car documents also which were available with us,’ informed Neeraj.

‘Sir, what about the parents of Manoj? Have you informed them?’ Udai enquired.

‘I have broken the sad news to his father. He was inconsolable. This is an irreparable loss to them. I don’t know how Manoj’s family is going to cope with the tragedy. Meanwhile, I have informed HeadQuarters. They have instructed us to make arrangements of flying the body of Manoj to Bangalore where his parents reside. Udai and I will be leaving for Gurgaon in an hour or so.’ Neeraj informed the gathering.

2. The Turmoil

1000 hrs, 23rd September 2008, Boardroom, NPC HQ, Mumbai

The Boardroom of the Marketing headquarters of the NPC was situated in an elegant 20-storey building overlooking the Indian Ocean. It was one of the rare high-rise corporate buildings in Bandra West on the seashore. Each division like Exploration, Refining and Marketing was headed by a CEO who was also a member of the Board of Directors reporting to the Chairman.

The topmost floor was an executive floor where the top management like the CEO of Marketing and COOs of the company had offices. The boardroom had witnessed many important decisions influencing the lives of millions in the past. One wall was bejewelled with the golden-framed photographs of former Marketing division CEOs of NPC and the other one had glass windows right from the floor to the roof throughout the length of the wall giving a very majestic view of the sea all around. Overall, it had a simple and uncomplicated setting indicating the value and stature of the company. In every respect, it looked like the boardroom of the HQ of the largest oil company in the country, often considered to be a jewel in the crown of India with a turnover of US$50 billion.

A battery of attendants in spotless white uniforms was doing the last-minute fine-tuning of the arrangements under the supervision of one Singh, the Chief Executive Assistant to the CEO, who was simultaneously also going through the agenda items. Sh. C. Rangarajan, who was holding the position of CEO, Marketing had risen from the ranks of the NPC. He had only a year and a half left before he was to lay down his office.

The meeting had been convened on an emergency notice to discuss some urgent matters. First to arrive was Rakesh Kumar, popularly known as RK, the COO of the Sales Department of the company. He was essentially from a marketing background and a very dynamic and forceful character. He was a dark, heavily built, tall man possessing an intimidating personality. He had been specially handpicked by the CEO to head the Sales Department since sales were passing through the toughest phase of competition in view of the two big private companies having made major progress in the opening of sales outlets in a very short span of time due to their liberal policies. RK was known to catch the bull by its horns, therefore brought on the scene to take the competition head-on. He had already initiated revolutionary changes in the policies notwithstanding the rigid framework of Public Sector Undertakings where a change in status quo was not only resisted but vehemently opposed. As per the grapevine, he was tipped to be the successor of Rangarajan and was being groomed accordingly to fit into the role. Many in the company detested his sharp ascent to head the prestigious Sales Department of the company. This had also given rise to a negative undercurrent born only due to professional jealousy and envy. RK, though aware of such moves by some of his professional rivals and peers, was least bothered due to his ‘care two hoots’ attitude.

He exchanged courtesies with Singh and had a cursory glance at the agenda.

‘Sir, the matter of Delhi Region has been kept on the top of the agenda as asked by you,’ Singh spoke even before he was asked to by RK who commanded extra respect and regard across the offices of NPC due to his unique and indomitable style of functioning. Moreover, since he was pipped to be the next CEO in less than two years’ time, it gave him an additional say in most matters.

‘Thanks, Singh. You know, we have to take the final call today lest the system collapses in the Delhi office,’ he remarked authoritatively. Singh offered his nod but only through prolonged silence. The Delhi Regional Office was controlling the states of Delhi and Haryana.

Within the next 5 minutes, all other COOs of various Departments namely Prakash Chandra, S Banerjee, N.K. Lal, P.K. Dey and P. Sriniwas heading Lubes Marketing, Gas, HRD, LPG and Finance arrived and seated themselves. Singh went through the rear door of the boardroom which was connected to the room of the CEO to inform Rangarajan. As soon as the CEO in his pitch-black suit with a blue striped necktie entered, everybody rose to greet him. The chair of the CEO was larger in size than others and was positioned at the head of the elliptical table. The CEO’s face was expressionless behind his high-powered glasses.

‘This year the monsoons have dried out early making the weather very hot and sultry,’ The CEO remarked, looking through the glass windows on his right side.

All the COOs nodded in unison. The CEO picked up the folder and started glancing through the agenda and the brief about the points listed in it. Singh had also handed over the agenda files to all the COOs. He was seated on a chair close to the CEO ready to take down notes of the proceedings.

‘RK, what is happening in your Delhi Regional Office? The situation is pretty bad, especially with the gruesome killing of our field officer. I hope someone is taking care of the family!’ the CEO looking visibly upset swivelled his thick neck to address RK.

‘Sir, I have sent one of my senior officials to Bangalore, beside the local regional team, to be with them in this hour of tragedy,’ RK replied, expressing his utmost concern.

He continued, ‘Sir, despite our best efforts to guide and support the Delhi team, no improvement is forthcoming and not only are we getting a severe beating in our sales performance and market share but malpractices at our petrol pumps are also reported to be on the rise. And to make the matter worse, one of the officers has been killed which has totally demoralised the team there. I have also received requests for transfer from a couple of officers as the working conditions seem to be scary out there. We shall have to take certain drastic steps to set things right,’ RK started off instantly.

‘RK it seems to be a defeatist attitude. We all know problems are aplenty, but we can’t live with them. What are the drastic steps you have thought of?’ Rangarajan was known for his tough-talking.

‘Sir, we shall have to bring in certain changes in the team, starting from the top,’ RK said.

‘We don’t encourage mid-term transfers; we are in the middle of September. Can’t we wait till March?’ Lal, COO HRD, who was till then a silent spectator chipped in, resisting the move even before RK suggested it much to his displeasure.

‘It is an extraordinary situation, and such exceptions can be made to deal with it. As such we bend backwards to issue transfer orders in case of ministerial references without bothering about whether it is a mid-session or a quarter; then why such a hue and cry for a cause which is directly connected with the performance of the company?’ RK, visibly annoyed with the comments of Lal, countered him in a sardonic tone.

‘Let us not stray beyond the agenda. Such unsolicited comments are unwarranted,’ Rangarajan intervened, bringing the house to order before the spat could become bitter. ‘What exactly are you suggesting? Elaborate,’ he asked RK.

‘Sir, we shall have to replace Neeraj Kumar, Regional Manager heading Delhi Region. His administration is very loose as most of the corrupt petrol pump dealers are having a song. Adulteration of kerosene in diesel is on the rise and going on unabated. As per the feedback, his way of functioning is also suspected to be not above board. Even some of his officers in the team are believed to be hand in glove with the adulterers. We have received some complaints of corruption against him as well as some other officers. The other officers who do not want to be part of such nefarious activities are totally demoralised and scared. The killing of a field officer in Gurgaon is not a one of its kind incident but its root cause lies somewhere else. It is a signal to other officers that if they do not fall in line, they shall also meet the same fate. Neeraj Kumar, as per our intelligence, instead of controlling the situation is busy making his own fortune taking undue advantage of the situation. Gentlemen, the government has announced deregulation giving us an opportunity to open new petrol pumps but in Delhi Regional Office we are least bothered while other oil companies are busy garnering vintage sites into their fold. No developmental works are taking place in modernisation of petrol pumps. Consequently, we are fast losing market share, causing a drain on our revenues,’ RK seemed unstoppable, almost pleading with the core committee to allow for the change. He knew it wouldn’t be easy, therefore he had no option but to forcefully put forward his argument.

Rangarajan listened to the whole point very carefully. He had an uncanny quality of getting to the root of the issue within no time. Meanwhile, two attendants in pristine white uniforms entered the boardroom with a tray containing tea and biscuits. Tea was served, bringing some pause to the proceedings. Rangarajan took this opportunity to go back to his room for a while when Singh informed him about the Secretary of Petroleum wanting to speak to him. The discussions resumed as soon as he came back. Chandra, COO Lubes Marketing Department, who was another dynamic officer having risen very fast on the hierarchical ladder on his own strengths, gestured in order to bring attention to others.

‘Sir, RMs are posted only after a thorough check on their profile. Neeraj was posted about a year and a half back after he was found to be fit for this position. It would be in everybody’s interest to know what went wrong with him as suddenly he has become the villain of the piece.’

‘Chandra, this is definitely not a sudden development. It is true that RMs are posted only after we are convinced about their integrity and leadership attributes since it is a sensitive public dealing leadership position, however, our systems are not foolproof, warranting 100% success. There are bound to be failures and it happens with every system, especially when we are dealing with human beings and not machines. We ourselves have counselled him many times, which is on record also. Since there has been no improvement, the matter is being brought to the core committee,’ RK justified his earlier statements.

He knew that Chandra was going to vehemently oppose this move to replace Neeraj Kumar as he was known to be the protégé of Chandra. Both belonged to the same state and Chandra was known to blindly protect officers belonging to his region.

Rangarajan seemed convinced with RK. Chandra sensing the mood of the CEO preferred not to take the argument further. Rangarajan asked RK whether he had shortlisted replacement candidates. RK gave him two names. Rangarajan asked for the opinion of Lal about the shortlisted officers. Lal informed him that the names had been shortlisted in consultation with the HRD department only. The list was handed over to the other members. While the other COOs were glancing through the names and profile of the shortlisted officers, Lal informed them that their first choice was Sanjay Sharma who was heading the LPG Marketing office in Delhi itself.

‘Sir, I can’t spare Sanjay Sharma. He is heading our most important Delhi Region. He is performing very well. Any change at this juncture will disturb the whole apple cart and we can’t afford to take that risk,’ Dey, COO LPG Marketing, made his position clear without wasting any time.

The choice was now only Subir Singh. The issue was that he had been posted in Chandigarh, his hometown, only 6 months ago at his own request after he had had tenure in the Northeast, which is considered to be a difficult posting. Chandra had some other reservations over his candidature.

‘Subir Singh as far as I recall is a pugnacious character with a history of hostile behaviour in the past,’ he said asking RK if he was the right candidate.

Reservations of Chandra were not unfounded as a few years back Subir had been accused of entering a scuffle with an employee due to which the staff union had threatened to strike. It had taken